Luminous sphere



Oct. 18, 1960 R. H. WHITE, JR 2,957,169

LUMINous slHERE Filed Aug. 3, 1959 N96/ j Quim@ #da/ML United StatesPatent O LUMINOUS SPHERE Rex H. White, Jr., Arlington, Va., assignor tothe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyFiled Aug. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 831,445

3 Claims. (Cl. 340-366) (Granted under Title 3'5, U.S. Code (1952), sec.266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by orfor the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to meof any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a luminous sphere and more particularly to atransparent sphere mounted on a base and electrical means forintermittently illuminating the sphere mounted within a cavity in thebase.

An object of the invention is toV provide a transparent sphere mountedon a base and illuminated intermittently when therassembly is liftedfrom a resting place.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an automatic switchthat will complete an electric circuit in the assembly forintermittently illuminating the sphere when the assembly is lifted froma resting place.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an article ofamusement.

Another object is to provide an article possessing varied utility.

A still further object is to provide a novel assembly comprising a basehaving a tablet atlixed thereon and electrical means mounted on the basefor intermittently illuminating the tablet when the assembly is liftedfrom a resting place.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects andadvantages thereof, will clearly appear from a description of apreferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the luminous sphere of the invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the base;

Figure 3 is a section view taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section view taken along lines 4 4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the electrical components of theilluminating means and showing the circuit therefor.

Referring to the drawings:

1 denotes a truncated pyramidical base having a transparent sphere 2mounted to the upper surface of the base 1 by suitable means such ascement 3, or any other eX- pedient manner.

Base 1 is provided with a cavity 4 and an upstanding bore 5. An undercutportion 6 is formed in the cavity 4 for a purpose which will be laterapparent.

A tablet 7 is mounted on the forward inclined face of the base 1 andprovides a space for engraving and like indicia when the assembly is tobe used as a trophy or the like.

A closure plate 8 fabricated from insulating material is provided forclosing cavity 4 and is held in place by screws 9.

A transparent tube 10 is inserted in bore 5 and serves as a liner, thetop thereof terminating substantially at the upper face of base 1.

Means for intermittently illuminating sphere 2 are housed in cavity 4and comprise an electric bulb 11 detachably secured in a socket 12. Abashing switch 13 .ICC

of standard construction is connected to socket 12 and is provided withterminals 1'4 and 15 at its lower end, and a bracket 16 is mounted onswitch 13 for supporting bulb 11 in tube 10 and is fastened to theundercut portion 6 by a screw 17.

, An automatic switch means is mounted on cover plate 8 for completingan electric circuit to light bulb 11 when the device islifted from aresting place and consists of a leaf spring 18 of conducting materialsecured at one end as at 19 to base 8. A plate 20 of conducting materialis secured to the upper side of plate 8. A plug 21 of insulatingmaterial is slidably mounted in a bore 22 in plate 20 and plate 8 and isprevented from falling out through bore 22 by an integral head 23. Acontact point 24 is fixed to thev forward underside of leaf spring ,18for making electrical contact with plate 20 and is normally urged intocontact therewith by leaf spring 18.

Means for breaking the electric circuit, when it is desired not to havethe device operative, is provided and consists of a bar 25 pivoted as at26 to the underside of plate 8 and is rotated to prevent plug 21 fromdropping downward in bore 22 and permitting leaf spring 18 to makecontact with plate 20.

An electrical energy source for the device is provided and comprisesmercury batteries 26 and 27. Electrical circuit leads are provided andconsist of a iirst lead 28 connecting the terminals at one end of batteries 26 and 27, a second lead 29 connecting the terminals of the otherend of batteries 26 and 27, a third lead 3,0 connecting the. terminal ofone end of battery 27 to terminal 15 of element 13, a fourth lead 31connecting a terminal 32 on plate 20, and a fth lead 33 connecting theterminal at one end of battery 27 to terminal 19 or leaf spring 18.

In operation, the device normally rests on a table, desk or like restingplace. In this position plug 21 is pushed up in bore 22 whereby leafspring is urged upward and out of contact with plate 20, thus breakingthe electrical circuit. When the device is picked up, leaf spring 18pushes plug 21 down in bore 22 whereby contact point 24 comes intocontact with plate 20. The circuit is now closed and the bulb 11 willlight intermittently due to ashing switch 13 and will continue to ashuntil the device is rested on the table again.

Should it be desired to maintain the device in an inoperative condition,bar 25 may be rotated over plug 21 which may be easily pushed up withthe nger, thus plug 21 is locked in an upward position in bore 22 andpushes spring 18 upward to break the electrical circuit.

The device has many uses. It can be used as a trophy, and is providedwith plate 7 for engraving, etc. It can be used as a paper weight,amusement device or a means of attracting attention to unauthorizedpersonnel tampering with papers and the like on a desk, inasmuch as theflashing light will come on when lifted by the unwary.

It is therefore apparent that a novel device has been designed that hasvaried utility and is very simple in construction and inexpensive tomaintain.

While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described,various modification and substitution of equivalents will occur to thoseskilled in the art after a study of the foregoing disclosure. Hence, thedisclosure should be taken in an illustrative rather than a limitingsense, and it is the desire and intention to reserve all modificationswithin the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A luminous device including a base having a cavity open at its lowerend therein, there being a vertical bore extending from said cavitythrough the uper face of said base, a transparent sphere fixed to theupper face of said base and disposed coaxially above said bore, a coverplate for closing said cavity, a transparent tube closed Vand disposedin said transparentV tube, a ashingrelement having iirst andV secondterminals Yatta :hedjfto, bulb, iirstY and secondV mercury 4batteries inVsaid cavity, .Y Yal leaf spring contact switch` secured at oneiof its,ends tothe upper face ofV said cover plate, a contact platejhaving L ahole secured .to the upper face of said cover plate and disposed underthe free end of said contactswitch, circuit means for electricallyconnecting` said flashing element, bulb, batteries contact switch andcontactv piate comprising .rst and second leads connecting the oppositement and said contact plate, a fifth lead connecting said contact switchand a terminal on saidsecond battery,` a

means for automatically opening `and closingv saidr circuit comprisingVan electricallyinsulated plugghavingan enlarged head at itsupperendthereofrslidable in said khole in said contact plate, said hejadbeing disposed under to opensaid circuit and to ,close said circuit'whensaid base is removed from said solid surface whereby said bulb will ashintermittently as long as said' base is out lof contact with said solidsurface and means carried by the bottom of said cover plate to lock saidcontact switch in open position.

2. In a device of the character described in claim 1 wherein said meansto lock said contact switch in said open position comprises a leverpivoted at one of its ends to said cover plate whereby said lever may berotated under said plug to hold said plug in its upward position in saidhole in said contact plate and urge said contact lever upwardly and awayfrom. said contact plate.

3. A luminousdevice comprising a base having a cavity therein, atransparent element fixed to the upper face of said. base, an electricalmeans forilluminating said transparent element housed insaid cavity, acontact plate fixed to the upper face of saidV cover, an electrical'circuit connecting said means for illuminating said transparent elementand said contact plate, and a means for automatically opening andclosing said circuit carried by said cover, said last named meanscomprising, a iirst resilient contact member attached to the upper faceofV said cover, said contact member being electrically connected to saidelectrical means for illuminating said transparent element, a secondmember slidably mounted in said cover and. being normally biasedby saidresilientmemberY to` extend beyond the bottom of Vsaid base, when saidbase is raised from a solid surface wherebysaid resilient membeni illcontact said contact plate for closing` saidk electrical l''iircuit `andpush said resilient member out of contact with said contact plate whensaid. base is rested on a solid .surface to openrsaid circuit. y

References YCited inthe le of patent Y LSITEDv STATES PATENTS

